


Temples and Truths

by zoryany



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bounty Hunters, Brother-Sister Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Force Visions, Gen, Jedi, Jedi Temple (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Pre-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Sibling Bonding, Skywalker Family Feels, The Force, Trials, even though they don't know it yet, it goes about as well as you'd expect, skywalker twins go on an adventure
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-02-26 10:38:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18715351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoryany/pseuds/zoryany
Summary: Months after Cloud City, Luke, Leia, Lando, Chewie and the droids are searching for signs of Boba Fett and Han. When a lead takes Luke and Leia to a group of bounty hunters based in a Jedi Temple, they make discoveries about themselves, their pasts and their futures that they never could have expected, and must learn to live with the consequences.





	1. Tatooine

**Author's Note:**

> So I am admittedly rusty at writing longfic, and I am a TERRIBLY slow writer - I started writing this story back in like... September? and as of right now I only have 2.5 chapters written, so don't go expecting regular updates. but I do have it all plotted out and I'm hoping to get this sucker done over the summer.
> 
> The basic premise for this fic is kinda inspired by Shadows of the Empire, specifically the idea of using Tatooine as a base and searching for Boba Fett before he gets there, but the actual story itself is nothing like the novel. 
> 
> Hope you folks enjoy this! It's still a work in progress but it's near and dear to my heart and I've worked hard on what I've got so far !!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on Tatooine and keeping their ears to the ground for news of their missing friend, Luke and Leia share a contemplative moment before receiving the news they've been waiting for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The opening description of Tatooine is somewhat inspired by the description in the novelization of A New Hope, but it's also altered from the original to suit my purposes.

It was a planet that anyone could be forgiven for considering uninhabitable. From a distance, it cast a golden glow into space, shining like a third sun in the system. Up close, the endless seas of sand spelled the clear source of that star-like shine, reflecting the relentless bombardment of light from the two large G-type stars the planet orbited. The world was harsh and unforgiving, and to many sentient beings it was, for all intents and purposes, uninhabitable – despite the life it somehow managed to sustain. Those who called this planet home were tough and hardy, stubbornly remaining on a world that seemed resolved to drive them away or grind them into the ground at every turn. For the most part, it produced only a particular type of being, one harsh and coarse as the planet itself, mostly unpleasant, with interests as benign as simple survival or malicious as power and control at any cost. Sharp teeth and thick skin were required to thrive here.

Merciless as the planet seemed, though, it still shone brilliantly, casting its light against the inky backdrop of space, and it was only as his X-wing had drifted towards it that Luke Skywalker realized just how brightly Tatooine blazed. Leaving on the Falcon three years ago, their concern had been primarily with escape, leaving him with little opportunity to consider the way the planet hung in the sky. On his return, there had been no turbolasers firing at him, no imperial ships to dodge, no immediate sense of urgency, and at last he could truly examine the world that he'd spent the better part of two decades toiling on. Its clear radiance seemed so counter to what he knew to be the true nature of the world... and yet, that same radiance seemed to glow not just from the sands, but from the Force itself.

Being on the planet’s surface only made that clearer, the Force singing brightly around him as the Light Side wrapped him in its warm embrace during each day’s meditations. Loath as he’d been to return and urgent as their purpose here was, opening himself up to the Force made him feel at peace here in a way he’d never thought he could on Tatooine.

Maybe it had something to do with their base being set up in Ben’s old hut. The synstone building had been decrepit and picked clean by scavengers and raiders when they arrived, but some of its secrets were untouched, waiting to be uncovered by the right person. Since word had clearly spread that the abandoned hut offered nothing of value, their group had been left mostly undisturbed. Still, despite whatever peace they found, that didn’t mean there wasn’t _danger_ here, and they took no chances. Working in shifts, they could keep watch, head into town to gather any supplies or news that they could, and take some time to rest. Each had a part to play at any given time and their own role to play in the days ahead.

(But really, they all just needed to keep themselves _occupied._ Stopping for too long meant _thinking,_ and thinking meant confronting the pain of the months since Bespin – something none of them had a particular interest in doing.)

It was Luke’s turn on the rest shift, holing himself up inside the hut while Leia stood watch with the droids and Lando and Chewie kept their ears to the ground in Anchorhead. Rest time for Luke tended to alternate between meditation, training and, his current chosen task, working on his lightsaber. Amidst the hidden secrets in the hut had been instructions, left just for him, outlining the process of building a weapon fit for a Jedi. Some of the required materials had been kept with the journals Ben had tucked away, the rest he’d had to purchase on his trips into town, but he was still missing one very crucial component – the crystal.

Ben’s journals listed several options for that. Most commonly, Jedi Padawans would travel to the caves of Ilum, a planet sacred to the Jedi, but Luke knew that wasn’t an option. He had no idea where the planet was, but if it had been known in the days of the Republic, then it was a good bet that the Empire knew about it and had corrupted it for their own purposes. That left Luke with a few other options. Though they were becoming increasingly rare, other sources of kyber existed throughout the galaxy, and there was a chance, however slight, that he might stumble upon one of them. He could also repurpose a crystal from an existing lightsaber, but he felt a bit odd about that, and would only consider that as a last resort. If he could not find a natural crystal, however, he still had the least conventional method – making a synthetic crystal. Ideally, he’d be able to find a proper source of kyber, but synthetic may very well be his only option.

Trouble was, he didn’t know where to start on one of those.

Construction of the hilt was laid out in great detail within the journals, and they contained some rudimentary information about saber combat and other useful skills, but they were severely lacking instructions for creating a synthetic crystal. Perhaps Ben had assumed he’d be around to help Luke. Perhaps he’d meant to leave him an existing crystal, or assist in acquiring a natural one. Perhaps he’d never needed to facet a synthetic crystal and simply didn’t know how. Whatever the case may be, Luke had reached an impasse.

Glancing down at the parts strewn across the table, he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He’d made a lot of progress on the hilt so far, but he could not complete it without a crystal. With Lando and Chewie not due back for a while and Luke on the rest shift until then, he considered what to do next. Sleep would not come, he knew, and his mind was far too scattered for meditation at the moment. Running through his saber forms was an option, but as far as he was concerned, he’d already spent far too much time in the hut. With another heavy sigh, he left his work behind and stepped outside.

Hanging low in the sky, the suns cast the dunes in a dim, orange glow, illuminating the endless stretch of wastes surrounding the hut. Silhouetted against the sky, a familiar figure sat atop the roof of the hut with her legs tucked underneath her, dark eyes fixed firmly on the horizon. Leia was dressed in a flowing white tunic and light, airy slacks, her hair pulled back in a loose, braided bun as a few stray strands fell to frame the tension lying just beneath her calm, contemplative expression. Clambering onto the roof, Luke took a seat next to her, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap as he turned his own gaze out to the familiar sunset.

“Luke.” Leia’s voice seemed to stem from the sands themselves, her alto warm as the sinking suns. She spoke his name with an ease that seemed to stretch beyond the few years they had known each other, as though it had always held a place upon her lips. From the moment Luke had laid eyes on her, everything about Leia seemed to carry a sort of familiarity. The way she carried herself, the way she spoke and the way she looked at him all echoed in memories he hadn’t even formed yet. Even here, on a planet where she should stick out like a wookiee in a cluster of jawas, she seemed to fit right in like she’d always been here, as though a piece of the desert belonged in her heart, was a very part of her soul. “It’ll be some time before Lando and Chewie get back. You should try to rest a little longer.”

“I’ve gotten about as much rest as I can handle for now.” Even through the peace he felt in the Force, a familiar restlessness had overtaken Luke from the moment they’d landed here, like a conditioned response to the sight of sprawling desert. On Tatooine, it seemed, he could not abide by sitting still and simply _waiting,_ the urge to _act_ becoming almost overwhelming.

Tracing the splashes of colour painting the sky with her gaze for just a moment longer, Leia sighed, long and slow, before turning to face Luke. “I know what you mean.” A thousand unspoken words flickered just below her deep brown eyes, impatience masking the _pain_ they both danced around. They’d known from the start that this would be an exercise in patience, but Leia was radiating frustration at their lack of progress. Leia, who was usually so calm and composed, was displaying the same sort of restlessness Luke felt here – though she was far better at hiding it than he was. Eagerness to complete their mission was the most likely explanation, he was sure, but he couldn’t help but suspect that the planet itself had something to do with it, an aura stemming from its core that either kept you rooted or pushed you towards the sky.

For a moment, the two said nothing, simply holding each other’s gaze and reading the intent flickering in their eyes. There was more that Leia wanted to say, and Luke remained silent to allow her that chance – he would not push her, because she offered him the same courtesy, but he still afforded her the opportunity to speak to her pain, if she chose to take it. Her expression quickly settled, however, masking any trace of agony that might have been etched there just seconds earlier. “I thought you were working on your lightsaber. Have you made much progress?”

It was Luke’s turn to sigh, flicking his eyes towards the sky as he ran his fingers through his blond locks. “I have, yeah, but I won’t be able to get much farther without a crystal.” Disentangling his fingers from his hair and running them down the back of his neck, Luke rested his elbow against his knee and propped his head in his hand, shoulders slumping slightly. “I… have no idea what I’m going to do about it, to be honest.”

Leia snaked her arm across his back and rested her hand on his shoulder, radiating a warmth that stood in stark contrast to the chill that was beginning to permeate the air. “You’ll figure something out. You always do.” There was such tenderness in her voice and so much unflinching faith in her eyes that Luke almost believed her. For a moment, things felt almost _right,_ as though the galaxy hadn’t been turned upside down just a few short months ago. If Leia believed in him then, just maybe, he really _was_ capable of seeing this through.

But Leia didn’t – _couldn’t_ – know the whole truth…

He didn’t deserve her faith. She was placing it in a person she _thought_ she knew, unaware of the shadow hanging over him. She did not know the _monster_ who dominated his destiny, the darkness that rotting at his family tree. If she did, she would never look at him this way again – and perhaps that’s what he deserved. Keeping the truth from her felt _selfish,_ because he did not want to lose her friendship, but he could not afford to push her away while Han was still in danger. He owed them the truth, but he had a job to do first.

Guilt twisted at his stomach as he tore his eyes from Leia’s face and flinched away from her. Leia withdrew her arm, allowing him to move away if he so chose, but her palm lay open in an offering should he decide he needed it. “Luke, is everything alright?”

With a long, slow exhale, Luke reached out to grasp the offered hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, allowing a few moments to tick on in silence as their fingers twined together. Warmth passed between them as they clung to each other, the absolute truth of their pain ringing clear within their wordless grip. A smile that did not reach his eyes formed on Luke’s face, and their charade began once again. “I’m fine, Leia. Really. I’m just _frustrated._ Something about being back here, on top of everything else…”

As Luke trailed off, Leia nodded absently, gaze fixing on some distant point once again, carrying traces of truth just below her eyes. “There certainly is something about this place. I’m not sure what it is but I’ve felt it since we arrived. Something in me that doesn’t want to settle, as though we should be doing something _more_.” Tension creased her brow, another brief flash of anguish lining her features before it was replaced with a lopsided smile as she nudged him gently with her elbow. “How did you ever put up with this for nineteen years?”

A dry chuckle rattled in Luke’s throat. “I’m sure if you asked my aunt and uncle, they would have said that I _didn’t._ I’ve never been able to sit still. That meant always having a project on the go or trying out some new stunt in my skyhopper or finding some new rock formation to climb.”

“You mean to tell me that you _weren’t_ content to sit around and watch the sands blow? I’m _shocked._ ” She wore a grin now, which only brightened when Luke rolled his eyes at her.

“Hard to believe, I know. Drove my uncle crazy. I swore I was gonna stow away on a freighter and ship myself off to the Imperial Academy as cargo, if I had to.” A wistful gleam shone in his eyes as he began to trace Leia’s knuckles with his thumb and swept over the rolling dunes with his eyes. “One time, when I was about thirteen, I got into a huge fight with Uncle Owen. I can’t even remember what it was about anymore – we had so many, they all sort of run together – but I was _furious._ Packed a bag, took off in the middle of the night, and set off towards Mos Espa to hitch a ride with _anyone,_ to go _anywhere_ that wasn’t here. I didn’t make it very far before the sandstorm hit, though. I got turned around and stumbled right into the nest of a krayt dragon. I had my laser rifle with me, but it didn’t do me much good – hide’s too thick for the blasts to do any real damage. I only got out of there because, as luck would have it, Ben had been keeping an eye on me. Swept in to save me just in time. Dragged me back to the farm. I’d never seen Uncle Owen look as furious or relieved as he was when Ben showed up at the door, carrying me in his arms. I was grounded for a whole month, after that, though my uncle didn’t take away _quite_ as many privileges as usual – I wasn’t allowed to _fly_ my skyhopper, but I _was_ allowed to head into town with Aunt Beru to buy parts for it. But even after that, I never could manage to settle down. I didn’t fit in, here. There was always _something_ pulling me away, urging me to keep moving, to keep running.”

A soft hum vibrated in Leia’s throat as she shifted to lean her weight against Luke’s shoulder. When she spoke, her voice rung crisp and clear, echoing in synchronicity with the twinkling of the emerging stars above their heads. “I ran away a few times as a kid, too. Never for very long, but… I understand feeling like an outsider. Like everyone’s expecting you to be someone you’re not. Much as I loved them, my family drove me crazy, especially my aunts, dressing me and styling my hair and shaping me into their perfect little princess. Part of me just wanted to _run,_ to get out of the city for a little while, climb trees and just do _something_ for myself. But… I had a duty to the galaxy. A job to do. Joining the rebellion put everything into perspective. Suddenly, just the thought of running away seemed petty and childish. Like I couldn’t appreciate what I had. Seeing what the rest of the galaxy had to live with changed everything…”

There was so much more that could be said, but very little that needed to. The past was a topic they discussed somewhat sparingly, reserved for moments of quiet and calm and only discussed at lengths short enough to be handled with ease. It had been nearly three and a half years since that fateful meeting on the death star, and even now, some wounds were still too fresh, would likely never heal completely, and could only handle the briefest of exposure. There was guilt and pain and anger in her that echoed his own, and he did not need to know all of the details to understand or offer his compassion.

Leia’s voice dropped to barely more than a whisper, a gentle murmur that could have easily been swept away by the breeze. “I have no choice but to keep running now, but I _can_ finish what I started. I have to. For their sakes.”

Releasing his grip on Leia’s hand, Luke shifted to drape his arm across her shoulders and rest his head against hers, offering a silent comfort as the two of them basked in the glow of dimming dusklight. “You will. I know you will. But you don’t have to do it alone.”

“I know that. I do. Now more than ever, I think.” She hesitated for a moment, and he could almost hear the frown she wore when she finally continued. “Do you?”

To her credit, Leia did not push him. Certainly, she’d noticed the change in him since Bespin, and this was a conversation they’d had before, but as much as she asked for the truth and offered her sympathy, she would never push too hard. It was that simple fact that had pulled him out of his stupor, little by little, her gentle coaxing drawing him through the haze of nightmares and despair that had begun to haunt his nights. Her understanding was exactly what he needed; all he could do was hope that her patience would hold out until he was ready to tell her everything. “I do. I promise. It’s just… the past. _My_ past, catching up with me. There are some things I have to figure out for myself.”

“It can’t be easy, coming back to a place that holds nothing for you anymore. To the place where you lost everything. The burdens of our pasts are some of the heaviest we’ll ever carry…”

Luke gripped Leia a little tighter, holding her against his side as their breathing fell into a gentle, synchronized rhythm. Her words echoed softly against the cooling air, settling over the two of them as they accepted the burdens resting upon their shoulders. They sat like that – as they had several times before, in those moments where all they needed was some silent comfort – until the last of the suns’ light faded to leave the sky above them a glittering tapestry of starlight against the obsidian backdrop.

Without the light from the suns, the temperature quickly dropped to the point that the warmth of their bodies resting side by side was no longer enough to stave off the chill in the air. Suppressing a shiver, Luke withdrew his arm as Leia shifted away and turned to face him.

“You should head back inside, Luke, try to get some sleep. I can keep watch until morning.”

Before he had the chance to protest, a tingling at the back of his mind accompanying the whirring servos of Threepio and Artoo alerted him to the subtle shifts in the air. “That might not be necessary.”

Leia opened her mouth to question him, but her brief confusion was cut short by the prim voice of the protocol droid punctuated by the beeps of the astromech. “Mistress Leia! Master Luke! There’s a speeder approaching from the East. I do believe it’s Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian.”

“Are you certain, Threepio?” There was a crease lining Leia’s brow as she climbed off the roof of the hut, Luke following close behind. The moment her feet touched the sand, her hand twitched towards the blaster hanging from her belt. “They weren’t due back until tomorrow afternoon.”

“Quite certain – the approaching speeder is the one they left in, after all.” Leia still didn’t look entirely convinced, and she wore even more skepticism as Artoo interjected with several beeps of his own. “Well, I do suppose it’s _possible_ that someone else could have attacked them and taken the speeder, but it’s highly unlikely, what with Chewbacca on guard. Perhaps it’s good news?”

Scowl deepening, Leia rested her hand on her blaster, prepared to draw at a moment’s notice. “Even so…”

The tingling in Luke’s brain hadn’t stopped with the droids’ arrival, and his own brow crinkled slightly as he tried to reach for it, to listen to what it was telling him. “Wait, Leia…” Resting a hand on her arm, he stopped her from drawing the blaster. It hadn’t taken much for Leia to pick up on the dangers of Tatooine, and she had always been well prepared for danger. Whether she would have liked it or not, she would have done just _fine,_ had she grown up here, and if he followed his initial instincts, Luke might have interpreted the edge in his sense the same way as she had. The Force seemed to be trying to tell him something else, though. It lay just beyond his grasp, behind a screen of smoke and sand and fire, but the one certainty he seemed to be able to reach was that whatever was coming, it lay beneath a different sky than this one. “It’s them. I’m sure of it.”

For a second, Leia seemed taken aback, but that same faith she’d worn earlier flooded back into her eyes almost instantly as she nodded. “Well. Perhaps Threepio is right. Maybe they really have come back with good news. I suppose we should just be patient until we have the truth – but be prepared just in case.”

With a gentle smile and a small nod of his own, Luke withdrew his hand and turned his gaze towards the sands. The speeder was Lando and Chewie’s, alright, and their familiar signatures in the Force seemed to glow and flare against the sands and dark sky as they approached. Luke, Leia and the droids stood ready in front of the entrance to the hut as the speeder slowed and stopped, and the brief exchange of greetings quickly gave way to an immediate relief settling over them as the group hustled inside to exchange reports. As they took their respective places within the hut, Lando seemed entirely composed, as usual, with the slightest air of excitement and hope; Chewie, by contrast, seemed agitated and none too happy – which wasn’t much of a change from how he’d been since Bespin, but he seemed especially uncomfortable since their return.

Leia was the first to speak, once they’d settled in, giving their little unofficial meeting an air of formality that, if Luke was being honest, was entirely welcome. The more things felt like routine, the easier it was to forget just how deeply this mission affected them all. “You two are back awfully early – we weren’t expecting you for several hours at least. What is it you found?”

“I think you two are going to like this.” There was a grin in Lando’s voice, even if it didn’t quite reach his face – especially when Chewie interjected with a frustrated growl. Lando promptly ignored the wookiee as he turned his gaze towards Luke and raised a single brow. “Especially you, kid.”

Suppressing a wince at the nickname, Luke followed Lando’s lead and ignored the things he didn’t want to acknowledge. “We’re listening. Do you have news about Han?”

“You bet I do, and it’s good intel, too. We’ll have to act fast if we want to make good on it, though.” The moment Lando paused, Chewie cut in with another rumble, louder this time, moving from his place near the wall to loom closer to the rest of the group. “Yes, yes, I’m _aware_ of how you feel about all of this, but it’s the first good lead we’ve got. If we act fast, we might not have to deal with Jabba at all.”

Despite the years they’d spent in Han and Chewie’s company, neither Luke nor Leia had quite been able to pick up on the finer points of Shyriiwook. There were times when it was generally clear what the wookiee was trying to say, certain things that Luke could understand well – Leia, at the very least, seemed adept at understanding the _curse words_ – but both tended to rely on Han or Threepio to fill in the gaps in their knowledge. Reading the questions in their faces, Lando smirked before turning back to them and continuing.

“A contact of mine – a _reliable_ contact – sent word about a crew of bounty hunters who might have some information we can make use of.” Having retreated back to a somewhat secluded corner of the hut, Chewie let out a soft growl while Lando spoke, but simply crossed his arms across his chest and made no other moves to act. “That’s the bit Chewbacca over there objects to. He doesn’t trust information coming from bounty hunters. But we’ve got a good chance with this group. I can tell you that at least one of them is entirely honourable and, according to my source, they’ve set up their base in what’s left of an ancient Jedi temple over on Pogantu.” Luke’s face must have lit up because Lando’s smirk grew. “I knew you’d like that part.”

Though she spared a quick glance at Luke to acknowledge his interest, Leia’s dark eyes fixed on Lando, boring into him as she seemed to demand answers simply with her gaze. “Do they know where Han is?”

The smirk faded from Lando’s face and his expression grew serious. “I don’t know for sure. What I do know is that they’ve associated with Fett in the past, and they’ve been said to have contact with him recently. My contact wouldn’t say how long it’s been, though, or very much else over holomessage. Anything else we want to know, we’ll only find out in person, so we have to move fast if we want to make good on this.”

“I’ll have Artoo prep my X-wing and take off as soon as I can.” Luke worked to keep the excitement from being too evident in his voice. Maybe things were turning around for them at last, and the Force was granting them a bit of good fortune. If he could find information on both Han and the Jedi at the same time, then they might just be able to wring victory from this war after all.

“I’m coming with you.”

“Leia…”

“ _Luke._ ” She was firm as she cut off his protests, a familiar fire crackling beneath her dark eyes. “If it’s bounty hunters we’re dealing with, then money is going to be a factor, and there may be negotiations. You and I both know that I’m better suited for that than you are.”

Years in the senate had made Leia into a debater that Luke was certain he couldn’t match, but he couldn’t shake the bad feeling that prickled down his spine or the way his gut twisted when he considered the possibility of losing her, too. “If it’s bounty hunters we’re dealing with, then _our_ bounties will be a factor. Your bounty’s higher than mine, and mine’s still explicitly alive only. We’ll have to go in undercover, and if we’re found out, it’s better if I’m alone.”

“Deception isn’t exactly your strongest skill. There’s a reason High Command doesn’t send you on many undercover missions. You’re not going alone.”

“I’ll have Artoo – “

“I’m coming with you.”

If he’d tried to read her without knowing her as well as he did, or if he was more easily swayed by the schooled aura of a politician, Luke might have missed the shade of pleading in Leia’s voice or the hint of desperation in her face. She was as restless and desperate to get off this rock as he was, she wanted to save Han as badly as he did, and she wanted to do take _action_ the same way he did. He could not quiet the buzzing warning in the Force, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop Leia once she’d made up her mind.

“For what it’s worth,” Lando cut in, “I may not _like it,_ but I agree with the princess. It’s risky, sending the two of you, but I do think Leia is better suited to handling these discussions thank you are, Luke.”

“My negotiation skills aren’t _that_ bad – never mind. Wouldn’t it make more sense for you to come with me and Leia to stay here with Chewie?” Leia’s expression darkened while Chewie growled an agreement, but Luke ignored them both. “If you’ve dealt with these bounty hunters before, wouldn’t that be useful to have around?”

Lando looked sheepish as he rubbed at the back of his neck. “Well, that’s the thing. I’m a known entity to this group, and not a particularly _welcome_ one at that. You’re gonna want to avoid mentioning my name. Tell them my contact, Jas Emari, sent you. I can put together a datapad with everything you’ll need to know that’ll help the two of you can develop your cover from there.”

Though she didn’t look entirely _impressed,_ Leia seemed satisfied with that, and turned to Luke with a single eyebrow raised. “It’s settled, then.”

Glancing at each of his companions in turn, searching for one last argument in hopes of stopping this plan in its tracks and stilling the churning in his gut, Luke finally sighed. “I suppose it is. Let’s gather our stuff and prepare to depart. The sooner we get moving, the better.” All he could do now was to resign himself to trusting in the Force and Leia both to see them through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Revenge of the Fifth !!


	2. Journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke and Leia leave Tatooine with Threepio and head to Pogantu to search for answers about Han and Boba Fett. During the flight, they discuss their plan of action while dancing around other conversation topics they'd rather avoid, for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a touch shorter than the last one and still setting things up, but things pick up plotwise in the next one. I'm still writing it - my laptop was fried and my data was being recovered bc I'm a doofus and don't save my fic to an online backup - but I have things back now and will hopefully finish the next chapter in the next little bit. but for now, enjoy the twins chatting and bonding a bit.

Gazing through the transparisteel viewport in the small bunk room, Luke Skywalker once again considered Tatooine as it shrunk steadily and faded into the distance. No matter how much he’d rather avoid it, a piece of his legacy still resided there, in both himself and his father. Whatever he was now, Anakin Skywalker still lived in tales passed from his aunt and uncle and Ben and the rebels who lived through the Clone Wars, and the truth of his history as a slave on Tatooine had only rung louder since Luke had set foot once again on the sands that had fostered them both. It was a past he would face soon enough, because the world beckoned to him as he left it behind, resonating in his soul even as it vanished from sight and the system gave way to starlines that shifted to the mottled blue of hyperspace.

Someday, he would return to face that part of himself once again, but for now, he had a different task to take on.

Pogantu was a world just a few systems over from Tatooine, sitting on the Outer Rim almost unassumingly, with few signs of native sentient life despite its lush forests and sprawling oceans. It seemed, for all intents and purposes, a hidden gem in the galaxy, if not for the clear concentration of criminal activity that seemed to have swarmed around it. Its location near the edge of the galaxy meant the planet had mostly escaped notice of the Empire, leaving the Jedi temple serving as the bounty hunters’ base more or less untouched. That fact alone filled Luke with hope that he might be able to salvage _something_ from this place, which was more than he’d found up to this point.

The planet’s proximity to Tatooine had driven Leia to _insist_ on piloting – it was still Luke’s turn on the rest shift, after all, and she wouldn’t hear his protests, despite his arguments that she would be going far longer than him without rest. “You hardly got any rest at the hut, you need it more than I do. And, if you’re really _that_ worried about it, you can take over for the last leg of the trip.” Her eyes flared with the same fire that had been crackling beneath them since Lando and Chewie returned – a fierce, familiar blaze in her expression that carried a level of intensity beyond what it usually held – but despite that, her voice was soft and the hand she laid on his shoulder was gentle. “I’ll be alright, Luke. I promise. Worry about _yourself,_ for once.”

He’d wanted to insist she do the same, but he could not bring himself to say no to the smile she turned to him. Something about Leia always seemed to stop Luke in his tracks, to tie his tongue and halt any arguments he might have with her. He suspected her royal status and history as a politician were mostly responsible, but there was no denying the somewhat childish desire for her to _like him_ that had persisted since moment he laid eyes on the flickering figure claiming Obi-Wan Kenobi to be her only hope. It was like being struck by lightning, an instant connection to a woman he’d never met coupled with a need to help her and to _know_ her. Knowing her meant being impressed by her, and wanting to impress her in turn, which led to him obliging her almost anything she asked of him – not that she asked him to do anything he didn’t _want_ to do, but if anyone could sway Luke when High Command issued orders he might object to, it was Leia.

Their initial connection had only grown since they’d known each other, and Luke had quickly come to feel less like an overeager puppy seeking her approval and more like a true and genuine friend. It was for that reason that he’d so easily accepted her presence on this mission and insistence on piloting. Without having to say it, Leia made it clear that this was something that she _needed,_ and despite his own concerns, Luke could do nothing but oblige her and slip into the bunk room.

If pressed, he might admit to being somewhat _grateful_ for her persistence – it gave him a chance to meditate. There was still a nagging feeling at the back of his mind, a whisper rippling through the Force insisting that something was about to change, and he was glad for the chance to sort through it.

 Almost immediately, he found it easier to touch the Force after leaving Tatooine. Though the planet carried its own peace and light in the Force, the anxious agitation associating with his homeworld far too easily disrupted his quieter moments. Being on a ship felt far more like being at _home,_ and the soothing hum of the engine as they hurtled through hyperspace settled him into the state he needed.

Unfortunately, the answers remained just beyond his grasp.

It was almost as though they didn’t quite _exist_ yet. They flickered, shimmered, danced away and turned to mist between his fingers when he tried to close a fist around them, as though they could not stay solid. _Patience,_ the Force seemed to be whispering, because things would become clear soon enough. It didn’t make the tingling in his brain subside or the twisting in his stomach unknot, but it was clearer now more than ever that he would simply have to trust the future to sort itself out.

Letting go of his insistent search for answers allowed calm to settle over him and finally grant him some _rest_. For several hours, he sat on the bunk with his legs crossed, hands resting on his knees and his eyes closed, wrapped in the embrace of warmth and light. This was, perhaps, the first true moment of calm he’d felt since Dagobah, and even there it felt hindered by impatience. Now, even through the prickling anxiety within him, it whispered its assurances that the path they walked would lead to _something_ they’d been looking for, and their wait would finally pay off. Knowing that they would be accomplishing _something_ stretched that state of calm and recuperation for several hours at least, and when Luke’s eyes flickered open at last, they were only three hours from their destination.

Anticipation arose in place of the calm and settled in alongside the buzzing anxiety that persisted just below the surface of his sense. Restlessness was creeping in and he could no longer stay in the confined bunkroom, so he made his way into the cockpit, feeling thoroughly refreshed.

Sensing his arrival before he’d even sat down, Leia angled her head towards him, expression briefly questioning and flickering with admonishment before softening into a light smile. “You’re looking well,” she observed as Luke settled himself into the co-pilot’s seat.

“Yeah?” The corners of Luke’s mouth twitched upwards, and his expression shifted into a mirror of Leia’s. “I guess that means I should thank you for _insisting_ on that rest.”

"I guess so." Her voice lilted from the dark of her throat, the soft smile etched across her cheeks twisting with dry satisfaction as her words lingered between them, filling in the cracks of their conversation. Was that a joke? When was the last time a genuine laugh had passed between them? Bespin had done its worst to them both, and they still bore the scars. A sigh heaved from her chest as her gaze followed the blurs of hyperspace. "So. A Jedi temple..." It seemed neither wanted to dwell on the implications, so Leia chose instead to direct the conversation to the mission ahead while her eyes remained caught on the trail outside of their viewport. "No doubt you're a bit excited for that. What do you think we'll find?" Her real question remained unspoken, buzzing just beneath the surface but perfectly clear all the same – will they find what they’re looking for?

“I’m not sure…” The admission tasted like ash on his tongue and renewed the twisting in his gut, as though the very notion of _not knowing_ was a failure somehow. “But I do know we’re going to find _something._ ”

With a click of her tongue, Leia turned a quirked brow towards Luke. “Well, of course we’re going to find _something._ ” Her words bore hints of barbs, but no accompanying malice. Her tongue was razor sharp, and the whip-crack of her voice spoke only to her impatience with the situation, not with Luke himself.

Still, he rolled his eyes at her. “Something _important,_ I mean,” he amended, clarifying for both himself and his companion.

His gentle indignation elicited a chuckle from the princess, and her eyes sparkled with an amusement that had become a rarity these days. It seemed destined to remain a rarity, too, since she quickly sobered and wiped the smile from her face with a sigh. “I hope so.” Tightening her grip on the steering mechanism, tension rippled through Leia’s shoulders as her eyes returned to the glittering oblivion that swirled beyond their vessel. “This is the best lead we’ve had so far. If something comes of this, we might just have a chance at rescuing Captain Solo.” There was the slightest hitch in her voice the second before she’d chosen the manner in which to address their missing friend, as though she was torn between allowing a moment of vulnerability or protecting herself by keeping her distance. In the end, distance won out, as it had done since Han’s loss.

“We’ll get him back.” It wasn’t what he wanted to say. He had a feeling she hadn’t said all she’d wanted to say either. Luke wanted to reach out, to whisper _‘I miss him too,’_ to tell her that they could talk about it, to reveal every last thing he’d gone through since leaving Hoth…

“You want to take over? I _did_ promise you could handle the last part of our journey, after all,” Leia said, cutting off Luke’s train of thought. “Besides, I should take my own advice and get some rest before facing that _something important_ you’re so sure we’ll find on Pogantu.” Her words were not without amusement and that twinkle returned to her eyes, but it was dimmer than it had been moments earlier, and carried something almost contemplative.

Nodding, Luke stood to take her place in the pilot’s seat. “Go rest. I’ll comm you when we come out of hyperspace.”

The smile she gave him as she relinquished the controls and headed out of the cockpit was one Luke had seen her wear many times before, a practiced politician’s smile that was carefully controlled and bore none of the light she radiated in moments of pure and genuine joy. He was left feeling like they’d been on the verge of a breakthrough, but even if he didn’t like it, he knew that now was not the time. There was a job to do, first, and plenty of time to heal after.

* * *

The yacht they’d taken on their mission was small and nondescript, somewhat decrepit and one of the rare ships that could be counted as disposable by the Rebellion. It was meant to be untraceable, one of billions in the galaxy. While Lando and Chewie had taken the Falcon and Luke took his X-wing to Tatooine, Leia had flown herself and Threepio when they’d finally decided to make their rendezvous on the desert world. After rescuing Han, they were meant to sell it, if they could, gaining a few extra credits for the Rebellion while all but Luke returned to the fleet on the Falcon.

Though it handled quite a bit differently than his X-wing, flying the yacht felt just as exhilarating, even when not in the heat of battle. Any time he flew, Luke slipped into an almost trance like state, connecting with the universe around him with an ease he experienced virtually nowhere else. It could enrapture him so deeply that it nearly escaped his notice when, beyond the viewport, the hypnotic swirl of hyperspace shifted to starlines before revealing Pogantu hanging in the system as a gleaming blue and green jewel beckoning them towards it.

The sight of the planet sent a thrill through Luke, and he instantly felt alert. The reality of their mission was kicking in, and he knew he would not settle until their job was done. True to his word, he flipped the switch that activated the internship communications and sent a chirping alert to the bunk room. He was greeted by Leia’s crisp, alert voice ringing through the cockpit’s comm system. “We’ve arrived? I felt the ship shift out of hyperspace.”

“We have,” he confirmed. “Did you get any rest?” Luke worked to keep admonishment out of his voice – concern was really what drove the question, but he couldn’t bear to be harsh with her.

“I did.” Her reply was curt, but he was certain it bore the truth. “I’ll join you in the cockpit after I’ve freshened up a little.”

Luke sent a brief acknowledgement before turning his attention back to their approach towards Pogantu. Working past the thrill that still fluttered in his core, he stretched his feelings out, searching for any final insight the Force might offer before they landed. Though it buzzed and beckoned to him with each passing second, it remained frustratingly reluctant to relinquish details. He didn’t know whether they were beyond his skill or simply refused to reveal themselves, but he _was_ certain that this mission would be an exercise in patience. His only choice was, truly, to let the Force guide him, but even that knowledge did not quite unwind the knot of anxiety tying itself at his core.

It did loosen a touch, however, when Leia glided into the cockpit a few moments later, looking alert and prepared for action. She had changed into a pair of brown leggings with a dark green jacket over a black shirt, and her braided hair was secured in a tight bun with a white ribbon. Somehow, even when dressing purely for practicality, she managed to look regal and radiant, and Luke couldn’t help but feel just a little bit shabby in his own grey rebel fatigues.

Perching in the co-pilot’s seat, Leia pulled out a datapad and got straight to business. “Let’s review the plan one last time.” They’d gone over the plan twice with Lando before leaving Tatooine and once again when they’d broken free from the planet’s atmosphere, but being thorough was the best way to stay on the same page in their deception. While he’d heard her repeat this word for word twice already, Luke was more than happy to indulge her. He had a sneaking suspicion that Leia’s fixation on the details kept her mind occupied and limited the possibility that this opportunity went to waste.

The datapad flickered to life, revealing the holographic image of a Zabrak woman with a long ponytail and a fierce expression on her face. “Jas Emari, Lando’s contact. She knows that Lando has sent two agents to seek out Boba Fett’s location, but she does not know our identities or our motives. ‘ _Few questions asked’_ was part of the deal she owed Lando, apparently.” With a quiet scoff, Leia shook her head and flicked the datapad, revealing an older Zabrak woman. “Sugi, Jas’ aunt, our contact on Pogantu. She’s _assuredly honourable,_ according to Lando, but the rest of her gang might not be. None of them are aware of our true identities or Lando’s involvement. That’s particularly for the sake of one Aurine Loong, a Zeltron woman with some sort of grudge against him.”

“Does the datapad have much info on the rest of that group?” In truth, Luke had been so focused on his own cover that he’d almost overlooked some crucial details about the people they’d be dealing with.

Furrowing her brow, Leia flicked through the datapad. “Not a lot. Lando didn’t know very much about anyone beyond Sugi and Aurine. Best to treat them as possibly hostile, just to be safe.” Her eyes took on a mischievous glint as she retrieved her disguise from the bag she’d carried into the cockpit. “ _I_ will be using my knowledge of Ubese to pose as Boussh, a recently deceased bounty hunter with a particular fondness for thermal detonators. He also had a history of hunting down Jedi survivors, which works in our favour given the unique nature of the base we’re heading to. We’ll take Threepio along to translate, in case they don’t have anyone to do it for them – and so you don’t have to fumble your way through it, should that be the case.”

Luke nodded once, grateful for her consideration, but he quickly crinkled his nose and narrowed his eyes. “Wait a minute, where _is_ Threepio? I haven’t seen him since we took off.”

The glint in Leia’s eyes flared and the corners of her lips twisted. “Well, he _was_ keeping me company in the cockpit, but he realized that this mission could be quite… _arduous,_ so he decided to spend the bulk of the flight shut down and recharging.” There was a lilt in her voice that suggested she’d guided him to that conclusion. That implication hung in the air for a moment as she took in Luke’s smirk, but her eyes sharpened and she raised a brow at him. “Your cover?”

She knew that Luke knew this backwards and forwards and could recite it in his sleep, but her lack of faith in his deceptive skills was far too evident. “I will be playing the role of Zeth Rasspark, up and coming human bounty hunter with a unique knowledge of and vengeance against the Jedi. It’s a past he seldom speaks of, but is obvious because of his _drive._ ” Luke couldn’t help but chuckle at the way Leia’s lips quirked at the dramatic flair he injected into the delivery of his lines, glad to see even the barest hint of amusement from his friend. “And we both have _business_ to attend to with Fett,” he added quickly, being sure to bring them back on topic so as not to make her think he was being frivolous about this. As much as he enjoyed the lighter moments between them, there was too much at stake to not take this seriously, and he made sure Leia knew he was _aware_ of that.

Seemingly satisfied, Leia nodded and shut off the datapad. “Good… _Good._ I’d say we’re ready. You certainly know your part.” Luke wasn’t sure if he was imagining the shade of disbelief in her voice, but he certainly _wasn’t_ imagining the gleam in her eyes when she turned to meet his gaze. “Now it’ll just come down to your ability to _maintain_ your cover.”

Scoffing and rolling his eyes, Luke shot her a look of mock affront. “I’ll have you know I’m _more than_ capable of deception, thank you very much. I’ve gotten better at it – I’ve been _practicing._ You have nothing to worry about.”

A softer, more genuine smile spread across Leia’s face. The gentle hand she laid on Luke’s shoulder was warm and soothing through his jacket, and it served to settle the continued churning of anxiety in his stomach, somewhat. “I know. For once…” She paused, chewing her lip as she seemed to think about what she said next, and her words came out slowly, carefully, almost hesitantly. “For once? I have a good feeling about this.”

The cockpit settled into a comfortable silence as they made their final approach to the planet ahead, and while Luke didn’t quite share Leia’s good feeling, her confidence rung true in the Force which was – for now – good enough for him.


	3. A Piece of the Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arriving at the temple on Pogantu, Luke, Leia and Threepio meet the bounty hunters they're there to do business with and strike a deal that couldn't possibly backfire on them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is where we start to get into the Plot! I'm not sure how I feel about the pacing in this chapter, but I'm definitely excited to get this sucker rolling, so I hope you all enjoy !!

From orbit, Pogantu’s forests appeared vast and extensive, its sprawling, leafy canopies obscuring the ground from view, but despite the cover from the foliage, there was no question as to where the Jedi Temple was hidden. From the moment they broke through the atmosphere, the Force began to sing a beautiful, lilting melody that only grew louder as they approached. It rang through them at their core, sending a ripple of recognition through the pair as it swelled. Luke could understand why this place had drawn in the bounty hunters. The world itself was verdant and inviting, and it seemed to be whispering promises that were enough to entice anyone fortunate enough to hear its call. Even beneath his hood, he had to work to keep the look of anticipation off his face as they approached the temple.

Walking side by side as they disembarked the yacht, golden protocol droid trailing after them, they surely looked to be an odd group. With her dark jumpsuit and face-concealing mask, Leia was completely unrecognizable. Even her diminutive stature – a trait fortunately shared with the bounty hunter she was impersonating – seemed to carry none of its usual delicate grace. Every one of her edges was hardened and sharpened to a razor point. By contrast, Luke wore nondescript grey fatigues and shrouded his features with a hooded cloak meant to appear unremarkable without looking _suspicious._ Both clearly carried blaster pistols on their hips, but Leia was also armed with several thermal detonators, a vibroblade strapped to her ankle and a holdout blaster tucked against her forearm. Luke wielded only the Force as the backup to his blaster, but he had concealed the nearly completed hilt of his lightsaber in a hidden pocket within his cloak. It wouldn’t be very effective as a weapon just yet, but the decision had felt right, and it was a comfort to have it close.

The entrance to the temple was flanked by two large, heavily armed bounty hunters with sour expressions that only darkened as the unknown newcomers approached. “We have business inside,” Luke announced, doing his best to channel the confident, swaggering bravado that seemed to work for Han at least somewhat more often than it backfired on him. He seemed to be pulling that off well enough, but he was less successful at smoothing the knot of guilt that twisted within him at the irony of using Han’s own methods in their attempts to rescue him.

Exchanging a look with each other, the guards considered the ragtag band before them. One of them, a wideset human man with a crooked nose, sneered at Luke and scoffed. “Yeah, Sugi told us you was comin’. Can’t say we was expectin’ folks quite as… _underwhelming_ as you. Thought you’d be uhh. Taller.”

Next to him, Leia bristled and shifted her hand to rest on one of the thermal detonators hanging from her hip. Her modulated voice spat out a few words in Ubese, causing Threepio to sputter briefly before translating. “He says that you should not _underestimate_ them, and that he’s happy to show you exactly what he’s capable of.” Even through the vocoder and the face-concealing mask, Luke could tell Leia was smirking as she uttered one last comment. “Ah, he also says that, perhaps, he might find ways to um… _impress you._ ”

The other guard, a wiry togruta woman with lean but well defined-muscles, smirked at that, a dry chuckle rattling in her throat while she glanced between Leia and the human guard. “C’mon, Arlan, you know as well as I do that size don’t matter, especially in this line of business.” Turning her gaze back to the disguised rebels, her smirk twisted slightly as she twitched her head in a small nod. “You can head in. Sugi or Aurine will meet you.”

Relieved that their plan seemed to be working so far, Luke hummed lightly and nodded as they strolled across the threshold of the temple. He also couldn’t help but be grateful that Leia’s mask concealed the unbridled satisfaction rolling off her in waves.

The antechamber they were led into was canopied by a high ceiling made of a pale beige stone flecked with golden highlights that seemed to shift with their gaze. The rest of the room was made of a similar material, though without the gold flecks, and despite – or perhaps because of – how bare it was, they were greeted by an undeniable peace and sense of _welcoming_. This stood in stark contrast to the air of hostility emanating from the scattered bounty hunters within, who paid them little attention save for the odd cursory glare shot in their direction. An odd blend of comfort and unease settled over Luke, and he could sense something similar from Leia.

They did not have to walk far before the Zeltron woman from the holo, Aurine Loong, stepped forward to meet them. Standing above every member of their little group, her height was striking, and her pale pink skin stood in contrast to her long, deep crimson hair. She radiated a sort of familiarity, despite none of them ever crossing paths, and there was a cocky sort of smirk plastered across her sharp features that suggested it held a somewhat permanent home there. “Well… you must be the group of, ah, _renegades_ I was told to expect.” The words came out silky smooth in a melodic contralto that was somehow both whisper-soft and loud enough to fill the entire room. She looked ready to say something else, but Leia’s modulated Ubese cut in before she had the chance.

“He says ‘let me guess, we’re not what you were expecting,’” Threepio translated.

The other woman snorted, and her smirk twisted around itself as she flicked her eyes over Leia’s disguised form. “No, I wouldn’t say that you are. But over the years, I’ve learned to expect the unexpected. And I’ve also learned to be suspicious – it’s why I’ve survived this long. Just can’t help but wonder what a couple of upstarts are hoping to find here…”

Luke scowled underneath his hood and Leia muttered something that sounded curt and harsh. “He… _respectfully_ _disagrees_ with your assessment of them as ‘upstarts,’” Threepio stated in a tone that suggested there had been very little respect in those words at all.

Aurine must have picked up on that too, responding with another snort and a quick reassessment of Leia. “Hm… yes… Boussh,” she said, drawing out the words. “Yes, I _do_ know who you are. You’ll have to forgive me if that doesn’t do much to change my mind, though.”

“As much fun as this is,” Luke interjected, “we _did_ come here to see Sugi. I’d rather leave it up to her to decide whether or not we’re worth your time.”

Turning her piercing, deep violet eyes towards him, Aurine swept her gaze over Luke several times, giving him the unsettling impression that she could see through their entire charade and she only played along to toy with them. He hadn’t met very many Zeltrons – Tatooine wasn’t the kind of planet that typically appealed to species notorious for their pursuit of _pleasure,_ unless that pleasure was particularly twisted – but he knew they possessed some degree of empathic and telepathic abilities. Reining in his emotions became increasingly important and increasingly difficult under her scrutiny, but he managed to hold on until she seemed satisfied and made a dismissive noise in the back of her throat. “Right this way, then.”

She spun on her heels and led them through the hall into a room off to the side that had been set up as some sort of a makeshift office. Sugi sat behind a desk buried under an array of datapads and flimsiplast, sifting through the documents with a deepening crease between the small horns above her eyes. Aurine strode into the room and slid into position behind the chair, looking like a lieutenant at the disposal of their general with her hands clasped behind her back and her chin held high. A moment later, the Zabrak woman glanced up from her work, brown eyes boring into them as she surveyed them before allowing a warm smile to grace her features.

“Forgive me if I seem unprepared for your arrival,” she said in a lightly accented voice. “My niece assured me that you were honourable, but I was not expecting you to be _punctual_ as well. It is a rare blend of qualities for scoundrels of our breed to possess.” Her words and tone matched the geniality in her expression, but Luke could sense an edge just below. This woman was no fool, and he had no doubts that she would be prepared to deal with treachery, if necessary.

Leia provided a curt response, sounding even more annoyed in the harsh Ubese tongue. Threepio sounded nothing but cordial when he translated. “Our purpose is rather time-sensitive.”

“Of course…” Sugi mused. “You seek Fett.”

From behind the desk, Loong scoffed. “Yeah, you and every other piece of scum this side of the core.”

The Zabrak woman either didn’t hear or chose to ignore her apparent lieutenant and instead pressed on. “I have word of his location from one of my contacts off-world. I am willing to give you that information for a price.” She rested her elbows on the desk and steepled her fingers as her eyes sharpened slightly. “Shall we discuss terms?”

Luke reached into his cloak and pulled out the credit chip they’d brought. “We can pay.”

A light chuckle rang in Sugi’s throat as she regarded them once more. “Yes, I’m sure you can, I expect nothing less. But it is not merely credits that interest me.”

As that statement hung in the air, Luke cocked his head to the side and took a step forward. A buzzing in the Force tingled at the edge of his senses, and he suspected where the bounty hunter was going with this. “We’re listening.”

“I’m sure you can guess it’s no coincidence that we’ve set ourselves up in this _particular_ location,” Sugi continued, waving her hand to indicate the temple. “This place escaped the notice of the Empire for the last two decades, which means it holds valuable secrets to uncover – and profit off.” A knowing look crossed her face, a wry smirk with a quirked brow, before continuing. “I’m offering you a piece of the action, a chance to share in the take.”

Leia spoke quickly and sharply, translated by Threepio as “The catch?” but Luke could sense her excitement. She was feeling the same thrill he was, the same hope at discovery, and it took active effort to suppress his grin.

“ _The catch,_ ” Loong cut in, “is that you’re going to have to work for your share.” She was proving far more difficult for Luke to read than anyone else in the temple, but an air of contempt seemed to ooze out of her as she folded her arms across her chest and levelled a disparaging look at their group.

Sugi, on the other hand, remained jovial. “I might not have put it in quite those terms. But… essentially, yes. You help us uncover the temple’s secrets, we give you Fett’s location and a cut of the profits. Seems more than fair, no?”

Oh, it _definitely_ seemed _more than fair,_ to the point that Luke was almost suspicious, despite his elation at the opportunity to dig deeper into the Jedi on top of retrieving the information they’d come for. “Why would you offer this to us? We do seem to be getting the better part of the deal – what’s in it for you?”

Eyes glittering, the seated bounty hunter chuckled, an expression of admiration crossing her features. “Very shrewd. You’re smarter than you look.” Beside him, Leia bristled at that, but they both remained silent so she could continue. “Despite my own _past dealings_ with Jedi, I do not understand their ways as much as the two of you are reported to. It is, perhaps, entirely selfish of me to ask for you to lend your expertise in delving into the inner depths of this place. Of course, should you prove to be unable to help us, you will get nothing. Not even Fett’s location. Is that understood?”

 _Past dealings with Jedi…_ Luke found himself fixating on that phrase, longing to probe her about it, seeking some insight beyond simply rifling through the bones and ghosts of the past. He almost did, too, but Leia cut in before he had the chance, thank the stars, and maintained their cover and true purpose for being here. “Of course. Let’s get going, then.”

* * *

 The trek into the inner chambers of the temple was made in relative silence, which suited Luke just fine. He was happy to ignore the frosty air radiating off Leia and Loong and just take in the simple beauty of the inner chambers of the temple as they moved further in and underground. The walls and floors of the corridors were smooth and simple, but they all seemed to glitter with that same iridescent sheen that greeted them in the entrance chamber, only in different shades that seemed to morph and flow into one another. The rooms the passed through were bare and open, likely picked clean already by the bounty hunters, but the hum he felt in the Force got louder and stronger with every step they took. Finally, it peaked as they arrived in a large chamber that contained nothing except two sets of doors sealed against the far wall. They were intricate and ornate, and they appeared heavy and unwelcoming as they stood tall and imposing over all those who entered.

Not for the first time, Luke was grateful for the hood that concealed the open-mouthed expression of pure awe that he felt spreading across his features. Once again, he felt like that same naïve farmboy from just three years previous instead of the twitchy, brooding Sithspawn he was now. His cover teetered on the edge of breaking as he took it all in, but a deep, cleansing breath brought him back to reality. Something important would happen here. He would need to be alert, so as to be prepared for what was coming next.

Anticipation fluttered through each being in their group, though he could not say for certain whether any of them recognized either the sensation or the source. There was a tension mounting in this room, and Luke found his breath grew bated as he waited for whatever significance this place held to reveal itself. Uncertain tension began to set into the shoulders of his companions, seemingly unbeknownst to them, and the whisperings of the Force were absolutely palpable.

What was this place?

“This chamber marks the beginnings of our troubles.” Sugi’s silky voice cut through the fog settling over Luke’s mind, snapping him back to the physical realm. “Those doors are sealed. Seemingly impenetrable.”

“They’re only impenetrable because you shod down my idea to blast our way in,” Loong interjected, rolling her eyes.

Pragmatic as that solution was, Luke couldn’t help but feel offended at the very idea. It seemed almost… _blasphemous_ to use destruction to achieve their goals in this place.

Fortunately, Sugi seemed to share his sentiment, a spark of annoyance flaring hot in her eyes before dimming once again. “I _told you,_ using explosives runs the risk of damaging whatever’s on the other side.” Well. Maybe she didn’t share his sentiment _exactly_. But at least she had some sense.

Loong scowled, a crease running deep along her brow and a similar heat smouldering in her eyes, but it appeared cooler, burning much slower and longer, a calculated vitriol flickering just below the surface. “Whatever gets the job done. You know that’s far from the final chamber, and whatever’s in there is worth the risk of losing if we’re ever gonna get to the heart of this place and find out its _real_ secrets.”

Luke was dimly aware of Sugi responding about detonating charges as a last resort, but the pull he felt towards the other side of the room was strong and the fog that settled over his mind obscured everything but the Force around him. Fixing his gaze on the doors ahead, he walked forward. From a distance, they’d appeared identical, but the light shifted as he neared and revealed subtle differences. The one on the left was a deep emerald green, its carvings flowing and subtle, appearing somewhat nebulous. The stones adorning the wood were duller and rougher than the sharp-cut facets glimmering in its twin to the right. That door was a dark blue, the colour of the sky when the barest hints of light began to peek over the horizon, nearly indistinguishable from black. The shapes etched into its surface were precise and sharp, clear images that seemed to leap out and demand to be seen.

“It’s a test.” The words flew unbidden from Luke’s lips, soft and barely voiced, but echoing against the walls as though he’d let loose his lungs and shouted them to the heavens. He could sense the Force confirming his suspicions, and he felt the sharp whip of the others’ heads to bore their eyes into the back of his skull. Mingled spikes of incredulity, disbelief, contempt and… _pride_ – that was Leia, who had always placed more faith in him than he deserved – tingled at his scalp, persisting when he did not turn to face his companions.

“Yeah?” Loong’s voice grew louder and her presence heavier as she sauntered forward, stopping herself just slightly behind Luke’s left elbow. “And how, _exactly,_ do you know?” Something dark and contemptuous rumbled at the base of those words, just barely above the threshold of detection, coated lightly in suspicion. “What is it _you_ see, Rasspark, that the rest of us missed?”

For just a moment, the world seemed to slow, a single, suspended second turning Luke’s veins to ice and rippling warning through every cell in his body. His answer had to be delivered with care; his cover – their entire mission – depended on the words he spoke next. His nostrils flared as he breathed in a slow, steady breath, lungs expanding and opening him up to the whisperings of the Force. “This place was built by _Jedi,_ ” he said, contempt rising above the awe that wanted to coat his words. “They wouldn’t have made a room like this if they weren’t trying to teach some sort of lesson.”

Turning to face the others, he found all eyes – and optic sensors – fixed on him. Sugi and Leia radiated approval, Threepio seemed fretful, as per usual, and Loong…

The Zeltron woman had been difficult for him to read since he’d first encountered her, and now was no exception, but the smirk she wore was far more unsettling than it had any right to be. Shades of malice tugged at her lips and twisted her expression into something dangerous, almost predatory. It took a conscious effort to suppress the shudder that crept along his spine, and he set his jaw to meet that gaze head on. “Of course. So, what’s the lesson, then?”

Before Luke had a chance to retort, Leia cut in with some edged Ubese. “That’s the question, isn’t it?” Threepio’s translation didn’t do her ire any justice, but Luke could hear the words in Leia’s refined, mid-rim Basic loud and clear in his mind. She must have sensed the tension brewing in Aurine and cut in to draw her attention away from Luke.

For a long, tense moment, Loong stared at Leia’s mask, flickering temptations flashing across her face as she seemed to be considering how nasty to make her response. Luke wasn’t sure if he was ready for a full-blown confrontation between the two, and he tensed in preparation, only relaxing when a grin replaced the dangerous expression Aurine wore. “It is, isn’t it? That’s why the two of you are here, after all. So. _Answer it._ ” A hint of that same danger had edged back into her voice in spite of the light tone and expression she maintained.

Sending a quick brush against Leia’s mind and a nod in her direction, Luke took back control of the situation. He was grateful for her intervention, and he was sure to broadcast as much to her – it had given him time to think – but now he had some idea of what to say. “It’s something to do with these doors, obviously. Look carefully – they lead down different paths. S’gotta be something to do with… the right path for _you,_ I think. We gotta choose right.” Even as he spoke, Luke could feel a ringing vibration in the Force drawing him towards the left door, the deep green and swirling shapes calling to him. To his right, Leia was transfixed on the other door, and he could sense her tracing the patterns with her eyes.

Neither bounty hunter seemed to notice, nor did they have the same fascination with either door before them. “How are we to know which to choose?” asked Sugi.

“ _We_ don’t. If it’s some Jedi thing, then I doubt our simple, mortal minds would be able to figure it out.” Aurine’s voice was clipped and the words short. Her patience seemed to be reaching its limits. “So we just _pick one_ and hope for the best.” She strode forward with heavy, purposeful steps, stopping before the door Luke was approaching, and yanked on the handle.

A warning shot through the Force, but it was too late for Luke to do anything. The door hadn’t budged, but the action sent a tremor through the chamber, a rumble that shook the walls, the floors, the ceilings, sending cracks spiderwebbing through the pale, glimmering stones. Flecks drifted from the ceiling, nestling in his hair, but they quickly grew larger and heavier, and it wasn’t long before large chunks began to fall and risk burying them beneath the rock. If he’d been paying attention, Luke would have noticed that the falling stone was blocking them in and separating them from one another, forcing them down their chosen paths.

No, his focus was entirely on the large segment of ceiling plummeting towards Leia, so he completely missed out on that little detail.

The cry that tore past his lips was immediate and without thought. He might have called her name, might have simply shouted _no,_ might have only cried out wordlessly. He couldn’t say. All he knew was that he shouted _something,_ whirled in her direction with wide, wild eyes, and simply… pushed. She flew backward just in time for a large pile of rubble to settle where she’d been seconds before, and Luke let out a breath of relief. Leia was safe. If anything happened to her… no, he wouldn’t think about that. Not here. Not now. Because they had other problems to deal with right now.

As suddenly as it had begun, the shaking and crumbling stopped. The chamber grew still. Their exit was blocked, their group split in two – Sugi, Leia and Threepio on the other side of the rubble with Luke trapped with Aurine in front of the, now mysteriously open, forest green door. He heard distant coughing from the other side, distinctly two different beings clearing the dust from their lungs, and he was confident that they’d all survived. The creeping suspicion that this was a part of the temple’s tests rose in his brain, and he furrowed his brow as he considered their next steps. “Is the door open on that side?”

The agitation he sensed in Leia smoothed a bit at the sound of his voice, but there was something in her vibrating just beneath the surface that longed to take actions she simply _could not,_ for the sake of this mission. Luke understood. He longed to hear her unmodulated voice, her sweet, gentle words reassuring him that she would be alright, followed by a fiery conviction that their mission would still succeed, that this was just a bump on their road to victory. Such reassurances would have to wait, however, since they were not out of the desert quite yet.

“It is.” It was Sugi’s voice that answered him, resolved but confused. He could not read her nearly as well as he could read Leia, but he could sense something shift within her. All he could do was hope that Leia’s cover would hold and that Sugi would continue to work with her and their droid until they were able to meet at the centre of the temple.

“It seems like we’ve got no choice,” Luke called back. “We’re gonna have to go through the paths and hope that they converge somewhere. Do either of your comms work?”

“Sugi and I can comm each other,” Aurine cut in, causing Luke to jump at the unexpected sound of her voice. He’d been so focused on the others that he’d nearly forgotten about her. Certainly, he hadn’t been paying her any mind, just then. “Our tech will work damn near anywhere. So you guys head on through, and we’ll do the same, and meet up to split the spoils.” There was something odd in her tone that Luke couldn’t quite place. He only realized what it was when he turned to face her, only to find himself staring down the barrel of her blaster. Slowly, he raised his hands, dimly aware that his hood had fallen from his face in the chaos, and _sharply_ aware of the danger he now found himself in. “Godspeed, Sugs, and we’ll see you on the other side.” A wicked glint sparked in her eye as she pulled the trigger and Luke’s world went black.


	4. Identities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With their covers blown, Luke and Leia contend with their respective bounty hunters and begin their treks into the inner parts of the temple, hoping they won't take a blaster bolt to their backs as they go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Another update already? I'm trucking along with this sucker, now that the plot is rolling, and just hoping that my pacing is Alright lol. I have it all mapped out in my head, including a sequel (or two), so really it was just setting it all up that was the struggle and HOPEFULLY I can ride the steam I've picked up to get some good progress on it over the next few weeks. For now, though, enjoy this, and let me know what you folks think!

The stiffness in Leia’s limbs was strange and unfamiliar as she led the way through the dim corridor towards the next chamber. Most situations saw her in a state of confidence, assured of her actions, decisive and certain, but in this temple… It wasn’t that she didn’t believe she could lead their way through, but a twisting unease would not settle within her, and it only grew as she moved further away from Luke and his reassuring presence. She would admit, if only privately, that she had been somewhat relying on his knowledge of the Jedi and the Force to see them through this mission.

Contrary to what most people said about her, she was _not_ too proud to admit when someone was better suited for a task than she was. Delegation was a basic leadership skill, and she’d always considered herself excellent at selecting those who would be most successful at any given job. It was her conviction in the ability of her chosen people that tended to get her into trouble, not an insistence on doing it herself. If High Command did not agree with her decisions, that was when she pushed back. She knew her fellow rebels well, was sure to get to know them and understand their skills and abilities and give them assignments accordingly. The rest of command, understandably, did not have the time to do the same, so when they chose to override her choices, she pushed back and defended her people.

Luke was no exception. She’d come to know him and his abilities better than almost anyone in the three and a half years that she’d known him. From the moment he burst into her cell on the Death Star, declaring his name and his intention to rescue her, he seemed… uncomplicated. Not simple, exactly, but like he wore his heart on his sleeve and carried no hidden motivations. His actions spoke for themselves, his intentions shining through in the intense sincerity in his eyes, and his dedication to his duty was simply unmatched. He was a farmer from some nowhere planet who wanted adventure for the sake of adventure, to help people because it was the right thing to do. He was kind and humble and easy to get along with, and she’d always enjoyed how effortless their time together felt.

As the years went by, however, he revealed additional complexities that lay beneath the surface. Nothing he necessarily kept secret, but he had surprising depths that only shone through in certain circumstances. In addition to skills with mechanics, Luke’s dexterity made him an excellent sewer, and he often patched up small tears in uniforms so they would not have to be replaced just yet. While his knowledge of arts and culture were limited, he did enjoy singing and was an excellent storyteller. Often, he could be found weaving tales and legends from Tatooine and singing the lullabies his aunt had taught him. And he was _smart._ So many of the older rebels, or those who had come from more affluent backgrounds, had dismissed him as _simple,_ mistaking naivety with a lack of intelligence. Luke may have been uneducated, but he picked up on things incredibly quickly and noticed things that most people missed. Those complexities did not make him more difficult for Leia to understand or get along with, but rather they revealed more about the boy who came from seemingly nowhere and served to strengthen her connection to him.

She really wished he was with her right now.

Sugi did not seem outwardly hostile towards her or Threepio, and Leia wasn’t exactly concerned about being shot in the back or failing in this mission. What bothered her was much less tangible than that, an unsettled churning in her stomach that gave rise to an anxiety she knew would be smoothed, at least somewhat, by having Luke nearby. Not that she couldn’t press on regardless, but she didn’t like _not knowing_ what lurked around the corner, and she felt much more confident with her friend as backup.

Not to mention that their trek through the halls wouldn’t be marked the same crushing _silence_ that stretched between her and the bounty hunter, a silence that carried on until they reached the threshold of the next chamber. Sugi gripped Leia’s shoulder between her strong, slender fingers, and brought them to a stop just before passing through into the room ahead. “I would hazard a guess that there are more _tests_ lying ahead, for us, and we will have to face them together. So, before we proceed, why don’t you tell me who you _really_ are? You and your companion both.”

Instantly, Leia’s blood ran cold. She could deny everything and try to maintain her cover, but that seemed unwise and ran the risk of making her situation worse. “What happens to me once I do?” she asked, dropping the Ubese in favour of Basic. The helmet stayed on for now, though.

“I’m not going to murder you in cold blood,” Sugi replied lightly. “Not all of us are ruthless thugs whose loyalties can be bought for the right price. I don’t break deals, and I’ll follow through with my part of the bargain. However, if you lie to me or otherwise break my trust then our deal is off, and I can’t guarantee your safety after we’ve finished here.”

One skill Leia had picked up as a politician was the ability to read people and their intentions, trusting her feelings about them and reading their words and body language carefully. It had saved her skin numerous times in the past, and she carefully used that to gain some insight. While the unease had not settled in her stomach, there was no heightened sense of danger in Sugi and no reason to suspect that she was lying. It would seem, from her tone, expression and body language, that the bounty hunter was sincere in her intention to hold her word.

Another skill Leia had picked up was learning from her mistakes. She quickly realized that some people – particularly those working in _certain_ lines of business – were exceptional liars, and instant trust could spell disaster. “Forgive me if I don’t believe you. In my experience, it’s credits that make the galaxy spin, not _honour._ ”

Sugi sighed in response, but she did nod and quirk a brow. “Perhaps so. I don’t blame you for your reluctance. My motives aren’t entirely selfless, though. It is still in my best interests to allow you to live, at least for now. We have tests to face ahead, and I doubt I can face them all on my own.”

That explanation did not dispel the tension gripping Leia’s form, but she found the bounty hunter’s logic difficult to argue with. Admitting the truth still tasted bitter on her tongue, but she took some small comfort in the fact that, should Sugi decide to cash in on her bounty after all, she would have the rest of their trek through the temple to devise a plan to escape. Releasing a breath she did not realize she had been holding, Leia slowly, delicately, removed the helmet and shook out the disheveled wisps of hair that had come loose from her bun. A brief flicker of familiarity flashed across Sugi’s face, but she remained silent, likely waiting to see whether or not Leia would speak truthfully. “Leia Organa,” she declared, damning herself, “former senator for Alderaan.”

Nodding slowly, the Zabrak woman regarded her carefully, her expression inscrutable. “I wonder if my niece was aware that she was in contact with rebels…” Leia’s expression must have betrayed her fear, since Sugi cut in rather quickly, punctuating her words with a soft chuckle. “Don’t worry, this changes nothing. I will not break our deal simply because there is a price on your head. But you neglected to mention your companion.”

Leia swallowed, hesitant to sell Luke down the river as well. She would have to admit, though, that honesty would serve them both better than attempting to lie or obscure his identity. Breaking trust so soon just didn’t seem right, no matter how hesitant she was to reveal the truth. Sighing, Leia sent out a silent apology to him, hoping she was not condemning them both. “His name is Luke. Luke Skywalker.”

“Skywalker…” Sugi repeated under her breath, a thoughtful look crossing her face. “I can’t say I _expected_ that but… I’m not entirely surprised, either.” Leia could feel her eyes narrow and her brows furrow. “Thank you, for answering honestly. You have my word that, should you continue to assist me in my purpose here, I will do everything in my power to ensure that you and Luke make it off planet safely.”

“That’s a big promise.” Leia’s eyes remained narrowed, but her brows climbed as she extended her hand. “I plan to hold you to that.” They shook hands, a firm grip exchanged between them, and the deal was struck. There was still tension between them, but now there was also an understanding. Hopefully it would be enough to see them through whatever tests the temple held for them as they forged on ahead.

* * *

 It felt as though a herd of banthas were stampeding on top of his skull, a throbbing, pounding pain the likes of which he hadn’t felt since he let Han talk him into splitting that bottle of Corellian brandy with him back on Dantooine. The world spun as his eyes cracked open, and he groaned loudly as he forced himself to sit up. Luke brought his hands to his face so he could rub at his eyes and encourage his vision to clear, but he froze as he was met with resistance. Blinking rapidly, he stared blankly at the cuffs encircling his wrists and tugged at them experimentally. They were being linked together magnetically, and a bitter memory rose like bile in his throat, flashing the image of a moon and a Hutt and a duel…

“Oh good, you’re awake.” Aurine’s voice snapped him back to the present, her pleasant tone marred by a cold edge that sliced through his skull like an icy vibroblade. A light smile tugged at her lips, but the dark gleam in her eyes cast shadows across her features that hinted at _danger._ “I was getting a little worried, to be honest. You were out longer than I expected, and we have a _lot_ to do.”

Words could not quite break through the continued throbbing in his head, so Luke settled for simply glaring up at her from his crouched position on the ground. His silence stretched on, causing Loong’s smirk to twist and grow, condescension descending over her next words. “What, nothing to say? That’s such a _shame,_ I have so many questions to ask you. I sure hope I don’t have to force the answers out of you, _little Jedi._ ”

Luke found his voice at that accusation, cutting through the twisting dread tying knots in his stomach. “Jedi? Where did you get an idea like that?”

A dark, humourless laugh echoed through the collapsed chamber, punctuating the danger glinting in Loong’s eyes. “Come, now, don’t be coy. I haven’t made it as far as I have without paying attention. You’ve been projecting your emotions loud and clear since your ship landed, and I’ve seen the way you’ve been _staring_ at everything in this temple. Not to mention the _unnatural_ way your little companion seemed to fly out of the way of danger when the roof came down. And the fact that you had _this._ ” Luke’s heart sunk as she waved his unfinished lightsaber in his face. “So let’s not play this game. I mean, I’m more than happy to persuade you to speak, but you probably won’t like my methods very much, and it would really just waste time we could spend making our way through the chambers ahead. How about we begin with your name? Who are you _really?_ ”

Maybe Leia had been right, after all. Maybe Luke really was horrible at undercover missions and had doomed them all. He’d never been a very good liar, and now their mission was in jeopardy because of it. He wished Leia was with him. She would know what to do, just like she always did. He wished that, at the very least, he knew how she was faring on that other path. He had no idea what the right choice was – to tell the truth or to lie and hope for the best – and not even the Force was offering any hints.

In the end, the truth won. He would have to be a far more skilled liar than he was to work his way out of the hole Aurine had dug around him. Swallowing thickly and heaving a sigh, Luke set his jaw and looked up at his captor with an expression as hard as he could muster. “My name is Luke Skywalker, and I am _not_ a Jedi yet.” He’d been hoping to leave this temple being one step closer. Now, he would just be lucky if he even left the temple as a free man.

“Skywalker… good. _Good._ Vader will be pleased.”

At the mention of _Vader,_ Luke’s veins turned to ice and his breath caught in his throat. “What?” Heart pounding, he could feel himself beginning to panic, hardly able to focus enough to slow his breathing and calm himself down.

Loong’s smirk grew to a toothy grin as she sensed his distress. “Oh yes, I told you our tech would work anywhere. When I figured out just what I’d subdued, I knew I could double down on my profits by turning you in. The Empire pays _quite_ handsomely for renegade Jedi. I got patched through directly to Vader himself, and he seemed very interested in your identity. Said that if you turned out to be Skywalker, there would be _very dire consequences_ for me should he find you harmed when he arrives – though if you were anyone else, he didn’t care much what condition you ended up in. I don’t know what he wants with you – that’s really not my problem – but I do pity you a little. Personally, I’d rather take a blaster bolt to the skull than be taken alive by that monster. But at least you have the guarantee that it’s in _my_ best interests to keep you alive until we get out of here, so try to focus on that, yeah?”

His heartbeat had not slowed, and his breaths were still shallow, but Luke’s thoughts came through a bit more clearly now. Vader was on his way here. Vader, who still wanted him alive. Vader, who believed Luke’s power could help him lead a coup. Vader, who asked for the impossible… Luke could not suppress the shudder that rippled down his spine, could not stop the strangled noise that squeaked in his throat, and he squeezed his eyes shut and closed his fists as his right hand began to throb. How had this gone so wrong so quickly? He should have stayed behind, shouldn’t have risked their mission by being an aspiring Jedi in a Jedi temple swarming with beings who would very happily cash in on that fact. He had doomed both Leia and Han for his own selfish desire to learn more about the Jedi, and he would have to face the consequences for that hubris.

“Aww, you poor thing,” Loong cooed, a mocking edge to her voice. “I know the big bad Dark Lord is scary, but that’s in the future. For now, all you gotta deal with is little old me. I’m harmless, I promise, so long as you cooperate.”

“If I promise to cooperate, will you remove these?” Luke asked, indicating the cuffs.

Aurine tutted and shook her head. “Now, now. I have you in those for a reason. Can’t have you running off on me, now, can I? I’m not about to lose my score.”

“And how am I supposed to actually do anything like this? I thought I was supposed to be helping.”

“Cuffs off,” Loong stated sharply, voice devoid of emotion. The thick durasteel remained heavy on his wrists, but his hands were free to act as he pleased. “There. When I need you, I shut them off. But otherwise? Cuffs on.” His wrists snapped back together, and he huffed as they refused to separate again. Of course, this _was_ familiar, but he’d done everything in his power to forget the time he spent in magna cuffs for the entertainment of a _Hutt,_ and he was not pleased at doing it again for this bounty hunter _._ “Now let’s get going, kid. The more we find in this place, the better off the both of us will be.”

Luke bristled at being called _kid_ – it was only acceptable when Han said it, and even then, he didn’t exactly like it – but he held his head high and shot her a defiant look. “And if I refuse?”

The pain that erupted through him was swift, an electrical shock that coursed across his skin without him even knowing where it had come from. There had been no hesitation on Loong’s part, the remote she produced seeming to come out of nowhere, the button pressed the moment Luke finished speaking, and his throat grew raw as he screamed at the sudden convulsions that overtook him. The cuffs on the smugglers’ moon hadn’t been capable of _that._

“That answer your question?” Aurine asked, her face and voice deadly serious. “My patience is not infinite, and the current from the cuffs is enough to cause you pain without inflicting any actual damage. You step out of line? You suffer the consequences. Now, are you going to work with me like a _good boy,_ or do we have to do this the hard way?”

He bit back the fury that threatened to swell at the condescension in her voice, stopping himself from spitting at her and raging against his vulnerable position. Those thoughts set the Dark nipping at him, and with all the turmoil Luke was already enduring, he could not allow it to sink its claws into him. Instead, he levelled a glare at Loong before forcing a ragged breath and dragging himself off the floor. His movements were sluggish, his muscles slow to react, but he gritted his teeth and moved forward with determination. “I’ll cooperate,” he ground out.

“There, see, was that so hard?” Aurine cooed, reaching out and dragging a single, sharp-nailed finger down his cheek. Luke flinched at the touch, eliciting another dark smirk from the bounty hunter. “Our time together doesn’t have to be entirely unpleasant, you know. Just do as I say, and we’ll get along _magnificently._ ”

A sharp breath blew past Luke’s flared nostrils, and he narrowed his eyes at his captor. “Let’s just get moving,” he grumbled, scowling as he breezed past Loong through the doors leading to the rest of the temple. He did _not_ like the implications in her tone, and he especially didn’t like the way she looked at him like an anooba toying with a newborn eopie before devouring it. But, like it or not, he was going to have to work with her to get out of here, and try to remain unscathed until he caught up with Leia so they could plan their escape.

He just hoped she was faring better than he was.

* * *

 “Duck!”

Sugi’s voice echoed against the stone walls of the chamber, and Leia found herself ducking without even thinking about it. A dull burn in her lungs and ache in her muscles pervaded her movements, making each leap, dodge, and even _step_ all the more painful to execute. Surviving as a rebel meant keeping up a certain level of fitness, but this course was testing her limits in ways she hadn’t expected.

Razor sharp blades whirred just above her head, threatening to shear off a layer of her hair, but she skillfully avoided their slicing with her swift movements at the prompting of her reluctant companion. She only had a few more metres until she reached the end of this chamber and could consider herself home free… 

A tingling warning buzzed at the back of her neck, and she swerved at just the right moment to avoid an onslaught of darts shot towards her. This was _absurd._ The obstacles that shot out at her and threatened to bring her life to an abrupt end were like something out of a holodrama, and if anyone had ever asked her if she’d expected to face this in a _Jedi temple,_ she would’ve laughed in their face. With all the stories she’d heard about the Republic’s peacekeepers, wise and noble knights who sought to uphold justice and find serenity within the Force, she would never have guessed that they would have created a _death trap_ just to test one’s merit.

Sugi and Threepio had managed to cross without issue. They had been leading the pack, Leia bringing up the rear, and the moment the first two crossed a certain threshold, Leia’s path became obstructed, only letting her carry on once the others had made it to safety. She’d grumbled, at first, but was quickly grateful that the others weren’t at risk the same way she was. She would gladly face each trial ahead if it meant that the others would make it through unscathed.

That didn’t mean that she _liked_ working her body to its limits, though.

When she finally reached the doorway where her companions stood, Leia skidded to a halt and let out a long, harsh breath as she worked to keep herself from collapsing right there.

“Oh, Mistress Leia, I’m _ever so_ grateful that you’ve made it to us safely,” Threepio exclaimed the moment she regained her composure.

The laugh that rattled in her throat was dry and carried little humour as Leia shook her head and offered the droid a twisted smile. “Yeah? You and me both, Threepio.” She echoed the sentiment with a similar chuckle as she turned her attention towards Sugi. “This place keeps up like this and we might have to re-negotiate out deal.”

The Zabrak woman let out a sharp bark of laughter at that, eyes glimmering with either amusement or distaste; Leia could not tell which. “Maybe so, Princess. You continue to perform this admirably and I may just have to sweeten the pot for your services.”

She couldn’t quite put a name to the feeling that fluttered in her chest – some blend of satisfaction and wry disbelief, cut through by an undercurrent of vague foreboding – but Leia found herself humming and nodding at Sugi’s words. She certainly wouldn’t turn down an offer like that, if they made it out of here alive. This test had been their third and most dangerous, so far, the first two consisting of simple puzzles and riddles. Challenging, certainly, but the threat had not been nearly so immediate as this last trial. That did not mean they held no risks, however. She was certain they would have faced dangerous consequences if they had not been able to solve the puzzles as they had. She was careful not to allow herself to grow complacent in this place. To do so might just spell their doom, and she was determined to make it through this place in one piece.

She had to. For Han’s sake.

And for Luke’s, of course, but there was little she could do for him, right now. He was alive, that much was certain. She would know if that changed. Somehow, that seemed like a fundamental truth, a part of her that she could not shake. While she was still concerned for him, it was Han’s fate that rested in her hands right now, not Luke’s. He could handle himself, and for now, he would have to.

Nodding once and blowing out a sigh, Leia stepped forwards. “Well, there’s no use in having that discussion if we waste too much time here. Payment is a matter for when we make it out of here. Let’s keep moving.”

“Agreed,” Sugi said, falling into step with Leia. “I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not spend more time in these depths than is entirely necessary.”

“I would _certainly_ prefer to get out of here as quickly as possible,” Threepio chimed in, eliciting a quiet chuckle from both women.

Leia just nodded grimly in response, silently agreeing. She would not say so outright, but she did not like how unsettled she felt, and it only got worse as they moved further through the temple. An icy chill was beginning to nip at the back of her neck, a dark and heavy feeling, familiar, beckoning to her with a hostile intent…

It peaked when they reached a closed door at the end of the corridor. The door itself wasn’t overly remarkable. Standing tall, dark and imposing, its austerity speaking to its weight, there was no doubt that attempting to open the door before completing the given task would be futile, but it wasn’t much different than the rest of the doors that had stood in their way. Jutting out from the wall to its right was a small, black shelf, a single object sitting atop it. It glinted dully in the dim light of the temple, small and silver and unassuming. The cylindrical shape was achingly familiar to her – how many times had she seen something similar in Luke’s hands? Instantly, Leia felt drawn to it, knowing that it was a lightsaber, knowing that it was a part of the next trial, knowing that it was calling to her.

Sugi was speaking, but the words were incomprehensible, and her voice sounded muffled. Leia’s world was narrowing to a small, contained bubble surrounding her, growing bright in her most immediate surroundings while the space beyond the edge of her vision faded into a dark, empty void. The heavy darkness from before was still there, but it felt muted as something rose within her, a swelling nova that had always been there, just beyond her notice. Reaching forward, she brushed her fingertips against the cool metal of the lightsaber, marvelling at the power she could feel resonating from within it. When she finally closed her hand around it and the hilt slid comfortably into her palm as though it had always meant to be there, the world around her flared and sent a violent jolt through her body. She let out a strangled cry as her breath caught in her throat and her heart began to pound against her ribcage.

Leia considered herself good at expecting the unexpected, particularly when dealing with matters she did not fully understand. It was a talent of hers, to expect just about anything, to adapt to the unadaptable and face it head on. So while she could not say she was _surprised_ at the vision that loomed over her like a shadow, nor would she back down from it, she certainly was not _prepared_ for what she saw.

No, absolutely _nothing_ could have truly prepared her to face the figure that manifested before her.


End file.
